


"Skinny little bitch" - [Tom Hiddleston/Michael Fassbender - one shot].

by A_Wolf



Category: British Actor RPF, Michael Fassbender - Fandom, hiddlestoners
Genre: A.Wölf, F/M, Multi, Tumblr: theartofimagining13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-15 11:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7220698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Wolf/pseuds/A_Wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on: Imagine: Tom finding out that you ran into Michael’s arms as soon as your relationship with him was over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Originally posted at** : [The Art of Imagining](http://theartofimagining13.tumblr.com/).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Song referenced in title** : ["Skinny little bitch" -Hole.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbOmwSPoR-E)

* * *

_June 15 2016._

I’ll never forget it. It was the day my husband broke my heart.

He and I had separated almost a month ago but I was still hopeful, I thought he’d suddenly realize that we couldn’t live without each other and he’d apologize but god was i wrong… I was a fool.

I had just arrived home from the supermarket and gotten my mail on the way there. Bills, a magazine subscription, and a photograph which was sent anonymously. That goddamn picture made my heart race in the worst possible way.

It was clear to me that after only 3 weeks, Tom had already found my replacement. How could he? I wasn’t even thinking, I was sweating and I was cold at the same time, suddenly the house suffocated me and our pictures in the living room seemed to stare back at me, mocking me.

I left my shopping bags on the counter, grabbed my keys, and got out of there.

As soon as I got in my car, rain started falling down as if the weather wanted to match the feeling within me, crushing my soul. I don’t know how long I stayed there without even starting the engine but it must’ve been a while judging by the fact that Tom’s car had just pulled up several feet away from me; he had mentioned he’d drop by around 4pm to pick up a few things.

He had to run towards the door to avoid getting wet and as soon as he was out of sight, I drove off. I was numb, my mind was blank, the radio was on but all I could hear was the rain.

 _What was I to him?_ I kept repeating over and over in my head.

Everything was fine between us but it suddenly stopped working like an old contraption of some sort.

I had driven aimlessly or so I thought but I recognized my surroundings once I had pulled over.

* * *

The door opened after a single knock and there he was standing before me in a black t-shirt and jeans, with raised eyebrows and parted lips denoting his surprise.

 _-Well, hello._ –He said with a warm smile.

_-Hello, Michael._

_-What are you doing on this side of town?_

His words made me feel guilty. What was I doing there indeed? I shook my head trying to arrange my thoughts.

 _-I… I don’t know. Sorry._ –I rushed my words as I walked back to my car.

 _-Wait!_ –Michael exclaimed.

I stopped and turned to find him standing right before me, barefoot, both of us in the rain.

He frowned and offered me his hand.

 _-I recognize that expression. Come on in._ –He said sounding genuinely concerned.

I looked at his hand hesitating for a couple seconds but I ended up letting him lead me to his place.

* * *

I was sitting on his couch as he poured me a drink, one I hadn’t even asked for but he knew I needed it.

 _-After all these years you still remember how I like this?_ –I asked when he handed me the glass and I glanced at it.

 _-You’re one of a kind, kid._ –He said with a smile as he sat on a chair across from me. – _What happened?_

 _-It’s nothing… I don’t even know if_ \- I sighed and took a sip. _–It’s Tom… we’re separated._

I couldn’t help but notice the way he had slightly clenched his jaw at the mention of his name.

 _-When did that happen?_ –He asked in a serious tone.

_-3 weeks ago._

_-Did he touch you?_

I made a face. Tom wasn’t capable of such thing and I’m pretty sure I would’ve hit him back if that had been case.

 _-I thought we’d fix it but… He’s…_ -I felt a lump in my throat and my eyes welled up with tears but I had been fighting them for hours now, I had to be strong. – _He’s seeing someone else._

Michael sighed and shut his eyes for mere seconds as if he could feel my pain but then he stared at me.

_-You should see her, Michael. She’s fucking skinny and-_

_-I’m going to stop you right there. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? Have you even been eating lately?_

I looked away. No. I hadn’t been eating well lately, I was never hungry, I slept too much… Tom meant the world to me and he was gone.

_-The fact that he’s seeing someone else doesn’t make you any less beautiful, it just proves that he’s an asshole. Don’t even go there, darling. Skinny or not, I’m sure she’s got nothing on you._

I pursed my lips. What did he know? He hadn’t even seen the photograph of the skinny little bitch. As if he could read my mind, he sat on the edge of his chair and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look straight into his blue eyes.

 _-Hey, she’s got nothing on you._ –He muttered. _–No one does. He’s blind, the fucking idiot_.

I gazed at him and couldn’t help but smile.

 _-Why are you so good to me?_ –I asked in almost a whisper as he let go of me and we shared a moment of comfortable silence before I spoke again. _–I left you for him, he’s leaving me for her… is this how love works?_

_-I’m afraid so._

Michael had a heart of gold. We had dated in the past, he was a perfect man and yet I couldn’t fall in love with him. I was with him when I met Tom and the 3 of us would hang out occasionally but then things changed; the rest is history.

Ironically, I had found my way back to him like a lost dog, in the midst of hard times.

 _-I still have that ring…_ -He said interrupting my walk down memory lane. _–And a full tank. We could go to Vegas and get back at him if you want._

I chuckled.

_-Be serious._

His smile faded and time stopped when he looked me in the eye to say,

_-I am._

After all these years, after my betrayal, he would still marry me? A few weeks after I moved in with Tom, I found out Michael had been planning on proposing. To this day, the thought still crushes me and I feel like the worst person in the world; at least I believed in love… guess I was wrong about Tom.

 _-He’s a fool._ –He added. _–I let you go because I thought he’d make you happy but i shouldn’t have, look at you._

_-Michael…_

He slowly leaned in and pressed his lips against mine gingerly, as if he was scared I’d run away like a scared deer. He tasted like whiskey and all my broken promises. I put my arms around his neck and pulled him even closer, out of spite, to get back at Tom maybe but I wanted it.

Michael and I ripped each other’s clothes off as we entered his bedroom without breaking yet another kiss. He spun me around to hug me from behind and whisper all the right words in my ear. Soon enough, we toppled onto the bed, recognizing our naked bodies with our fingertips for the first time in years.

Time hadn’t changed a thing, Michael never fucked me unless I asked, he made love to me.

* * *

I woke up when I felt Michael kissing my bare shoulder as we laid wrapped in the sheets; it was still dark outside.

- _What time is it?_ –I asked.

 _-Don’t worry about that. Go back to sleep._ –He murmured.

I rolled onto my side and laid my head on his chest. I felt protected and loved, I wanted to stay there and feel that way for the rest of my life, forget about Tom.

I thought I heard Michael reaching to grab his cell phone from the nightstand after it rang but I had already dozed off.


	2. "Wolf in sheep's clothing"

I woke up to a loud banging sound in the middle of the night.

It was the most gorgeous sleep I had had in weeks. I was in a state of bliss and peacefulness, asleep on Michael’s bare chest with his strong arm around me. In a perfect world, a ray of sunlight would’ve woken me the next morning and he and I would’ve made breakfast together, but the thought disappeared with that horrible noise.

_…Nothing good can last._

Michael immediately sat up on the bed and instinctively put his arm in front of me as if trying to protect me from an invisible attacker, since the sound was coming from his front door. It had startled us awake and we weren’t making any sense.

 _-What the hell?_ –I asked.

_-Stay here._

Michael stood up to put his shirt on in a hurry while the loud noise repeated itself. He walked out of the bedroom and I tried to wait but in less than 40 seconds I was already walking behind him with the bed sheet wrapped around my body.

Michael opened the door and it was all a blur. As soon as he did, he received a blow to the face and its force almost sent him tumbling to the ground.

 _-You bastard!_ –Tom snarled as he walked in.

He froze when he saw me rushing to Michael’s side to help him stand up straight. Michael wiped a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth and I swear I saw him smirking at Tom before he launched himself at him, grabbed him by his shirt, and pushed him against the wall; Tom let out a grunt.

Michael hadn’t let go of his him and their faces were only an inch apart. My heartbeat stuttered. Both men were so strong this could end horribly.

 _-You must have been waiting for this moment._ –Tom said between gritted teeth as he tried to push Michael away. – _Did you call her the minute you heard we were having problems? God, you’re pathetic, Michael._

Tom finally broke free but Michael put his hands on his shoulders to pull him back and give him a knee to his stomach. Tom was bent over from the pain and Michael took a step back, standing tall as he sniffed loudly and made me see their animal side.

- _Actually, she came here by herself._ –Michael said in a casual tone.

Tom scowled at me and slowly stood up straight.

_–We haven’t even signed the divorce papers yet._

I couldn’t believe him. His hypocritical words instantly enraged me.

 _-I could say the same to you._ –I said.

Tom’s lips parted and he narrowed his eyes.

 _-Don’t you dare lie to me, Thomas. I know about that blonde_. –I said almost gritting my teeth.

His expression softened as Michael stood right next to me like a bodyguard and put his hand on the small of my back. He knew this was hard for me and he wasn’t going to let me deal with it alone. Tom furrowed his eyebrows when something caught his attention.

 _-What the bloody hell is that?_ –He asked.

 _-What?_ –I asked sounding genuinely confused.

I followed his line of sight _._ I had my left hand over my chest, holding the bed sheet, but I looked down and then at Michael with nothing but disbelief written all over my face.

Tom took a step forward and grabbed my arm to pull me closer to him but Michael stopped him and warned,

_-Don’t fucking touch her._

_-You fucking proposed to my wife?_ –Tom growled.

I couldn’t describe the look on Tom’s face, his blue eyes were flaring and I could see his fingers slightly trembling with a profound desire to punch Michael again. Michael must’ve put the engagement ring on my finger when I was asleep. Why on God’s green earth would he do that?

Now i was standing between the love of my life and my former lover in a room where the rivalry between them was almost tangible. It would take a false move from any of us to detonate a war.

 _-Is she?_ –Michael asked him.

 _-Let’s go. –_ Tom said grabbing my hand to pull me but I yanked it away. _-Why are you doing this?_ _You left him to be with me and now you’re getting back with him?_

 _-Does your new girlfriend know you’re here?_ –I asked.

 _-She means nothing to me!_ –Tom snapped.

I raised my eyebrows at the evident lie, shook my head, and said,

_-I need you to leave._

_-I need you to make up your goddamn mind._ –Tom snarled.

The shameless English man was making me choose between them? I suddenly realized that Tom knew how much I loved him and he was using it against me; he was so sure that I would forgive him and we’d walk out of there hand in hand.

This was all about the competitiveness between them it had absolutely nothing to do with me. He just wanted to win, feel in control of the situation, and see Michael fail again. I swallowed hard as I fought back the tears for I had just discovered that I was married to a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

 _-I think you already did that for both of us, Tom._ –I said in almost a whisper.

Michael’s hand on my waist tightened to comfort me in silence. I will never forget Tom’s expression. He was sad but not devastated like I was. I was feeling the pain in my heart, he felt it in his ego. I’m not saying he never loved me, I just knew I always loved him more.

 _-You heard her. Get the fuck out of here._ –Michael said dryly.

Tom stared at me and his blue eyes got watery as he clenched his jaw. I was right. He looked like a child who had been denied a toy or candy. He finally left and as soon as the door banged shut, a tear ran down my cheek.

Michael pulled me into a tight embrace, putting his chin on the top of my head, and then wiped the tear away with his thumb as soon as we pulled away. Regardless, I glared at him.

 _-Why the fuck did you do this?_ –I said holding my hand up to show him the ring.

Michael showed an apologetic look but shrugged before saying,

_-Someone had to put an end to it._

I frowned and stared at him in disbelief.

_-What did you do, Michael?_

_-What was best for you. What he deserved._

_-How did you know Tom would show up in the first place?_

He crossed his arms over his chest looking uncomfortable and avoiding my question. I knew him well and he was a terrible liar, so I insisted.

_-Tom came here in the middle of the night and I happened to be wearing an engagement ring. What the hell did you do?_

_-I got a text from him. He asked me your whereabouts and I told him you were here._

This was still very odd… Tom and I hadn’t slept in the same bed for weeks, our relationship was practically over, why would he show up enraged? Michael was keeping something from me. I held my hand out and he knew what I wanted; he hesitantly gave me his phone… and then I was furious.

I couldn’t look at him. I stormed off.

 _-I can’t believe you._ –Michael said following me into his bedroom. – _This guy parades around with a new girl only 3 weeks after your separation and you’re mad at me for this?_

I ignored him as I put my clothes on. I could see him making a face out of the corner of my eye, and putting his hands on his waist.

 _-Fine. Go ahead, run after him and tell him I was just your fucking rebound._ –He snapped.

My heart sank. Here I was hurting him again because of Tom.

 _-You know it’s not like that._ –I said quietly.

_-Then what was this to you?_

I felt like I was just a piece in the game these two men were playing. It was an absurd battle of egos. I just needed to get out of there as soon as possible. I sighed and grabbed my purse, brushing past Michael.

I stood on his threshold facing him. I looked at the ring on my finger but before I could take it off, he spoke,

_-Keep it._

_-Are you out of your mind?_ –I asked. – _What do you want me do, Michael?_

He got closer, put his hand on the back of my neck, and leaned in to press a soft kiss to my lips. For some reason, after all the events, it made me nervous and weak at the knees. It felt different as he deepened it. Our foreheads were pressed against each other and his eyes found mine through his eyelashes when it ended.

Then he went on to say 2 lovely yet untimely words in a demanding manner,

_-Marry me._


	3. "Black & gold"

A red envelope came through my door mail slot that night.

A week had gone by since I had stood between Tom and Michael as the 3 of us argued. Exactly 7 days after I refused Michael’s marriage proposal.

How was I supposed to say yes? I wasn’t even divorced yet and if my first marriage failed, why would I want to go through it again? Two weddings in less than 3 years…?  I’m sure my mother would be proud.

I grabbed the envelope and opened it to find out that I had been invited to a charity event.

I rolled my eyes and threw the invitation on my coffee table. The last thing I wanted at the moment was to look for a dress and get dolled up to be in a room full of strangers. God, I hadn’t even left the house the whole week. I needed to sort things out and be on my own for a while.

My eyes roamed around the place and I started having second thoughts. I had built a fort; my curtains were closed 24/7, I don’t think I knew what the outside looked like anymore, and I suddenly realized that I was covered in shells and that couldn’t be good. Perhaps I did need a little bit of social interaction.

I grabbed the envelope again noticing the _“+1”_ written on the invitation. Well, my _“+1”_ was one signature away from turning into a _“+0”._ I felt pathetic.

I looked at my phone and had a thought but tried to shake it off. I couldn’t do that, I had made a promise, and I’d just make this worse. But it couldn’t really hurt… it was just a formal event and we were still friends.

I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up but all I got was his answering machine. I sighed. He was probably mad at me and I didn’t blame him.

 _-Michael… it’s me. I know I said I would keep my distance but… I was invited to a charity event next weekend and I would like it if you’d come with me.-_ I stayed in silence for several seconds before muttering under my breath,- _I just don’t want to go alone. Saturday night, 8pm, 4 th avenue. Let me know._

I hung up still feeling ridiculously nervous, as if I was in high school and calling a boy for the first time.

* * *

4 days went by and I hadn’t heard back from Michael. It was obvious that he didn’t want anything to do with me anymore and it broke my heart… but I guess I deserved it.

On the fifth day, while I was taking the clothes out of the dryer I heard my doorbell ringing. I opened the door to find a young man with green eyes holding a box and a garment bag.

_-I have a delivery for Mrs.Hiddleston?_

I tensed up and felt a void in the center of my chest at the mention of his last name. It would no longer belong to me in a few days but there had been a time when hearing it actually brought me joy.

 _-This must be an error, I didn’t order anything._ –I said.

 _-It’s actually a gift, ma’am._ –The man said with a warm smile.

He brushed past me as if I had allowed him in, placed the garment bag on the couch, and put the box on the coffee table. I was utterly confused and watched him come in and go with furrowed eyebrows.

 _-Have a great evening._ –He said with a nod.

I closed the door and slowly unzipped the bag, as I did, a note fell on the ground and I picked it up.

_“Saturday night it is. I’ll pick you up at 7:40pm. I’ll try to match. ~ Michael”._

My heart skipped a beat as I pulled out a beautiful black and gold evening gown from the bag. The fabric was soft and the gold details were heavy enough to let me know that this was an expensive gift, and then I looked at the tag; _“Alexander Macqueen”._

My jaw almost hit the floor when I opened the box to find a pair of stilettos that would perfectly match the dress.

I couldn’t help but make comparisons. Tom was a thoughtful man and he had done many things for me, I was somehow used to surprises but he had never been as thorough as Michael. Besides, he was never sure he’d get the right size.

It took one glance at the whole outfit for me to know it would fit me just fine. Years had gone by since the last time Michael bought me something. I was speechless.

Why hadn’t he used my last name though? I had 2 theories. Either this was some sort of reproach and discrete way of making me feel bad or he was just enjoying the thought of sending another man’s wife such an expensive gift.

* * *

Michael picked me up right on time and had a chauffeur drive us to the charity event. I swear his heart matched that gold bow tie of his. He hadn’t mentioned anything about our argument and he was being as warm as always.

Everything was going great until my eyes wandered around the room and located Tom… with his new girlfriend. My stomach dropped, my heart raced, and my fingers trembled as I reached for the champagne glass in front of me on our table. Michael immediately noticed my rigid posture and followed my line of sight.

They were across the ballroom and I could see Tom pulling out a chair for her. That was just great. If the pictures had been bad enough for me, witnessing this and finally seeing her in person would be the end of me.

I grabbed my purse without thinking and delved into it until I found my fake engagement ring. I could feel Michael’s eyes on me but I didn’t give a damn. I put the ring on and somehow, it calmed my nerves. I saw my +1 put a playful smile on his face out of the corner of my eye.

 _-What?_ –I asked finally looking at him.

 _-Nothing._ –He said with a shrug and failing to hide his proud grin.

_-He’s going to notice it’s gone._

_-Are you planning on talking to him?_

_-No. But you never know._

_-Alright…_ -Michael said and I could hear the satisfaction in his tone.

 _-This doesn’t mean anything, Michael._ –I said in a serious tone.

_-Okay._

_-I’m serious._

_-Okay. –_ He repeated nonchalantly.

I wanted to punch him to see if that would wipe the smile off his face. He was having the time of his life while I tried to keep the illusion he had contrived alive.

* * *

I was standing in front of the pastry table when the unavoidable happened.

_-You look beautiful tonight._

I shut my eyes in frustration as soon as I recognized his voice before facing him.

 _-Tom._ –I said with a slight nod.

It felt like we stood there in silence for a whole minute before he spoke again and I wish he hadn’t.

_-Are you here with him?_

_-Are you here with her?_

Tom chuckled and adjusted his glasses.

_-Yes. In fact… honey?_

This couldn’t be happening. She was on the far end of the table holding a plate of chocolate covered strawberries. Suddenly, I could imagine her feeding them to him and I wanted to throw my cake in her face.

She stood next to Tom and put her hand on his shoulder, almost digging her nails into him as if she was scared he’d run from her. Insecure bitch.

 _-Hi._ –She said in a high-pitched voice.

 _-Darling, this is-_ Tom began to introduce us but was cut off when he saw Michael standing next to me.

He put his hand on my waist, pulling me closer to him and chuckled.

 _-I was looking for you, love. We should get out of here. I have a list of entertaining things you and I could do._ –He muttered against my temple, loud enough for them to hear. _–Nice evening, isn’t it?_

 _-Indeed._ –Tom said dryly.

 _-Well, if you excuse us… enjoy_. –Michael said leading me away from them.

The last thing I saw before we left was Thomas looking at me and clenching his jaw before he drank the last of his champagne after he noticed Michael’s arm around me.

Michael had saved me… again.

* * *

We were in the back of his car on our way home and I couldn’t stop looking at him. I don’t know if it was the gift, his protectiveness, or the champagne, but all I wanted was his hand slowly unzipping my dress as soon as we got to his place.

His right hand was resting on the seat so I put mine on top of it to get his attention.

 _-You look beautiful, you know that?_ –He said.

Not _“tonight”_ like Tom had emphasized but just beautiful.

_-I loved the dress. Thank you._

Michael knew me well enough to know that I was already in the mood for something else but he just smiled appreciatively.

_-You got the right size… I’m impressed._

_-Well, I did put my hands on your waist when I made love to you the other day, didn’t i?_

His words made me squeeze my thighs together and he noticed. His blue eyes immediately landed on them, making me bite my lip.

 _-We’re here, sir._ –The driver announced.

I looked out the window and frowned when I realized we were in front of my place.

 _-I really enjoyed this._ –He said, breaking my heart.

What? That was it? I thought I was sending obvious signals.

 _-Me too._ –I said forcing a smile.

The silence grew deeper and then he got out of the car to open my door. I felt insulted.

He helped me out and closed the door, I just stared at him and I couldn’t believe I was about to be such a cliché.

 _-Do you want to come up for some tea or something?_ –I asked sounding nervous and annoyed at the same time.

He chuckled and put his hands in his pockets.

_-I don’t think that’s a good idea._

I raised my eyebrows and pursed my lips, feeling rejected. I was done being “discrete”.

 _-Are you expecting me to beg or something, Michael? Don’t hold your breath._ –I snapped.

_-I’ve never found begging attractive._

- _Then what are you doing? You bought me this dress… don’t you want to get me out of it?_

_-I’ve ripped it off a thousand times in my head already… but you’re not divorced yet._

_-That certainly didn’t stop you last time._

_-Yes but it didn’t end so well, did it?_

I looked at the ground, I felt horrible and I irrationally hated him for being so mature. He put his finger under my chin, gently lifting my face so i’d look into his eyes.

 _-I am here, love._ –He added. _\- I am willing to wait until you sign those papers because I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret later or give him an excuse to make this even more difficult for you._

_-Don’t say that. I don’t regret anything that happened between us._

_-You need to think this through. If you’re certain you want to be with me after your divorce… let me know. You know how I feel._

He leaned in and kissed me on the corner of my mouth. I had never been so frustrated before and deep down, I knew he was right but I didn’t want “right” at the moment, I wanted to misbehave.

 _-Goodnight._ –He said with smile.

* * *

I took my heels off as soon as I walked into my apartment and poured myself a glass of water which I drank slowly as I pondered on the evening. My train of thought was interrupted when my doorbell rang.

The biggest smile spread across my face. I knew Michael wanted me as much as I wanted him.

I rushed to the door, opened it and just like that, my smile was gone.

_-Tom?_


	4. "Shakespeare men"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Hints of abuse and rape.  
> Let's not forget this is all fiction.

I gasped when my back hit the wall. Our love nest had become a war field.

It’s true what they say, you never finish meeting someone. After being engaged for a year and married for 2, I still didn’t know Tom; a man I swore would never hurt me or leave me, I also could’ve sworn he’d never dare to touch me and I was terribly wrong about all of this.

He had definitely enjoyed that champagne at the charity event. The moment I saw him standing on my threshold at 1am and clumsily undoing his tie, I knew he was drunk. His first words confirmed it for me.

 _-Honey, I’m home._ –He said with a sarcastic smile on his face.

_-Did you drive here like this? I’m going to call you a cab._

I turned around and only managed to take a single step towards my phone before Tom pulled me back and pushed me against the wall, lustfully eyeing me from head to toe.

_-I just saw your new fiancé leaving. Don’t tell me you’re both celibate now._

I pushed him away and tried to close the door but he stopped it with one hand and caught me again. Tom stood in front of me. He caressed my cheek and my lower lip with one finger and with his blue eyes fixed on mine.

I would’ve loved it a few months back, maybe even found it arousing… but I was frightened instead.

 _-Is he taking good care of you? –_ He asked in almost a whisper. _-Does he go down on you, darling?_ _Tell me._

 _-Get away from me, Tom. –_ I said smacking his hand away.

He got even closer, pressing his body against mine in an intimidating manner. My heart was racing and I felt like I would forget how to breathe when he placed his hand on my throat. The tip of his nose brushed behind my ear.

 _-You’re drunk. Let go of me._ –I said between gritted teeth.

 _-You’re still my wife._ -He whispered. – _I know you miss me._

He started unbuckling his pants with his left hand and then slowly lifted my dress. I was terrified as I felt the smooth fabric going up my legs; I had never experienced such fear before. My former lover scared me to death.

 _-S-stop._ –I stuttered trying to push him away but he was way stronger than me and only grinded against me as he tightened the grip around my throat. I could feel his hardness and smell the alcohol in his breath. I kept trying to stop him from lifting my skirt but our struggle only caused it to rip.

_-Why did you have to get back with Michael? Why?_

Once again, this wasn’t about me. It was about his hurt ego and rivalry against Michael. I was still just a piece in a chessboard and maybe the blonde was one as well and for a second, I pitied her. Tom didn’t want to let me go but he didn’t want to stay; I wondered if his reaction would’ve been the same if I was with another man and not Michael.

I couldn’t breathe; I could feel my face turning red from the lack of oxygen. I reached out trying to get something from the small table to my right and ended up grabbing a small vase that I smashed on Tom’s head.

He growled in pain finally letting go of me, and I took advantage of it and kneed him in the groin. I coughed and gasped for air before I sprinted towards the living room. Tom was bent over from the pain but went after me in no time.

I had suddenly become an antelope chased by an angry lion.

I ran towards the bedroom and around the bed to create a barrier between us. We stood there staring at each other as our chests rose violently with every breath. Tom charged towards me, going around the mattress but I jumped on it trying to run back to the living room. He threw himself on the bed, trying to grab my ankle but missed by an inch.

I felt like I was running for my life as I moved across the hallway, I needed to get out of the apartment as soon as possible.

He wrapped his arms around my waist when we entered the living room and he stumbled, causing us both to hit the floor. Suddenly, all the fear and pain built up within me had to finally escape my lungs and I started sobbing.

Tom still had his arms around me as we lied on the floor and he wasn’t moving. He seemed to be having a moment of clarity as the alcohol levels in his blood decreased and the shame invaded him. We had been dealing with our emotions in very different ways.

 _-What am I doing?_ –He asked in a whisper.

I was physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. I couldn’t move, I thought this was a nightmare. Tom held me tighter and drew a breath which came out like a sob.

 _-I’m so sorry._ –He said.

We stayed on the floor, looking at the ceiling as tears kept running down my cheeks. Tom sat up and cradled my upper body in his arms as he put his chin on the top of my head.

 _-How did we get here?_ –I asked.

His agitated breathing was the only sound in the room for a complete minute before he quietly answered,

_-I don’t know._

I was numb. I let my eyes wander around a house that was once full of love and had inexplicably become a battlefield. I glanced at all the things we had knocked over while he chased me as I let my attacker hold me tight.

No one ever said facing the end of a marriage was easy but somehow, I thought it was harder for me since I strongly believed I loved Tom more than he loved me. All the suppressed feelings had turned the argument into chaos and then into quiet redemption.

Maybe both of us had lost our minds.

 _-I don’t know._ –He echoed in a whisper.

* * *

Tom placed a cup of tea in front of me in the kitchen counter.

My dress was torn, my hair a mess, I had mascara down my face. Tom’s bow tie was half undone, his hair almost resembled mine, his shirt was stained, and yet both of us sat across from each other staring at the cups of tea he had made.

I didn’t have an explanation for our behavior. Perhaps our marriage was a cage and we were a pair of wolves who had been trapped in it for too long. Even the slightest thing would enrage us and we’d bite and fight each other.

 _-I will sign the divorce papers on Monday._ –He said finally breaking the silence.

I didn’t want to cry anymore so I held it all in, everything had been awfully overwhelming so I just gave a nod.

A few minutes went by and Tom walked around the counter to stand next to me but I never looked up at him. He put his arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple. Any trace of hope had vanished at last. There was no turning back and no way to save this. I just needed a signature to make it official, but we were over.

The last thing I heard was the sound of the door closing and echoing the end of our chapter in this book of mine called “life”.

Sadness hit me like a train for this had been a failure, a loss… a story about love gone terribly wrong. I grabbed my cell phone and as soon as I heard Michael’s worried voice on the other line, my chest tightened I started sobbing again. He showed up in less than 20 minutes.

* * *

Michael had picked me up after i left my divorce lawyer’s office and took me to a coffee place in the outskirts of the city.

I didn’t want to tell him what had taken place between me and Tom when he arrived at my house that night but he noticed my ripped dress and lost his mind. It took me a long time to calm him down and convince him that it was over and that he’d only make things worse. _“Wouldn’t you rather be a widow at this point?”_ he asked me, making me chuckle… but I knew he was angry and strong enough to beat Tom to death.

 _-Are you celebrating my divorce?_ –I asked with a raised eyebrow as soon as the waitress placed a piece of cake in front of him.

 _-Aren’t you?_ –He asked with a playful smile.

I grabbed my fork and joined him.

After the tumultuous incident, Michael had become even more protective over me. He didn’t leave my side, he stayed with me on Sunday and I assumed he’d stay Monday too. I could sense his fear, it worried him that Tom would show up the second he left me alone and something terrible would happen but he was being irrational.

 _-I have something for you._ –He said interrupting my train of thought.

He pulled out an envelope from his coat and gave it to me.

 _-Italy?_ –I asked pulling out a plane ticket.

_-Yes. You need some time off and you need to be as far away as possible from here._

_-Michael, he’s not a murderer._

_-It will clear your mind._

I looked at the envelope, perhaps expecting to find another ticket but it seemed like I’d be traveling by myself. I guess he saw the disappointment in my face and added,

_-I have a small country house in Italy. You’ll be staying there and it can be for as long as you need. The housekeeper has been taking care of it and I’ll make sure the fridge and pantry are full when you get there._

_-Why are you doing this?_ –I asked.

He finally looked up from his cake and looked me in the eye.

 _-Do you really need me to say it? –_ He asked.

I smiled. I knew the answer.

 _-Thank you._ –I said and he just fed me some more cake.

* * *

Italy was a dream.

Michael’s country house was beautiful. The weather was warm and humid but tolerable. The sound of cicadas singing worked as a lullaby for me every night. I had spent 7 days catching up on my sleep and relaxing. I slept in every morning, woke up, and had a full breakfast that Cecilia, the housekeeper, had made for me before she left the house to take care of other things.

 _-Congratulations._ –She said to me the first day I got there after I introduced myself.

I followed her line of sight and realized that I was still wearing the ring Michael gave me. I couldn’t help but feel a twinge in my heart when I remembered that I had just become a divorcee. I forced a smile and said _“Thank you”._ I certainly wasn’t going to tell her the whole story.

 _-There’s pasta al forno in the oven. Just bake for 30 minutes at 180._ –She said in a thick Italian accent.

 _-You didn’t have to do that, Cecilia_. –I said with a demure smile.

 _-It’s my pleasure. Besides, Mr.Fassbender asked nicely_.

 _Of course,_ I thought. From then on, Cecilia cooked for me every day and it was completely unnecessary but I knew those were Michael’s orders.

That night I enjoyed dinner with a glass of wine on the balcony. As beautiful as the view was and as much as I enjoyed being by myself, I couldn’t stop thinking about Michael, I missed him.

* * *

 

After a whole week of behaving like a lazy cat, I decided I was ready to walk around the city and visit famous places, so I set my alarm for the next day.

I woke up in the middle of the night when I felt weight on the bed.

 _-Michael?_ –I asked squinting as I tried to catch a glimpse of him in the dark.

 _-Hello._ –He said crawling on top of me.

_-How…? What are you doing here?_

Was I dreaming?

 _-Was one week enough?_ –He asked.

_-Enough for what?_

Instead of answering, he captured my lips with his to kiss me desperately. When my hands traveled from his neck to his shoulders, I realized I wasn’t dreaming or why would he be wearing a coat? I rolled on top of him and turned on the lamp on the nightstand. He had a slight frown on his face and I had never been happier to see those blue eyes staring back at me.

He quickly sat up and ran his hands up and down my back.

 _-I missed you._ –He said.

 _-So you got on a plane?_ –I said caressing his eyebrows.

 _“Was one week enough?”_ suddenly resonated in my head. He said he’d wait until i was divorced, and after only 7 days, here he was. But was that enough? Was I ready to try? Before I knew it, my back hit the mattress again as he positioned himself on top of me and stared deep into my eyes knowing that I had something on my mind.

 _-I don’t want to pressure you. You can tell me if I’m crossing the line and I’ll leave._ –He said.

 _-I don’t think I’ve drawn one._ –I muttered.

I put my hand on the back of his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. I started unbuckling his belt to let him know what i really wanted. He stiffened and pulled away, glancing at me with curiosity.

 _-Is this really what you want?_ –He asked in a whisper.

My heart raced and I felt his, beating frantically as well when I put my hands on his chest. I nodded. I wanted nothing else, I wanted to be his. I helped him take his coat and his shirt off as he pulled my underwear down and entered me with a quiet grunt; we wanted and needed each other so desperately.

I don’t know what had changed. It was hard for me to believe that this felt even better now that I was free. Maybe it was the fact that we were under Italian skies or maybe I was finally falling in love with Michael. That night, there wasn’t just one of us making love anymore but both. Seeing him lying next to me the next morning made me realize I was in a state of bliss that I thought wouldn’t be possible after the storm I had been through… let alone in 7 days.  

* * *

Michael decided to show me around the city.

There was no need for us to say it like a couple of high school juniors, but I was his girlfriend now. Officially and for the second time. We walked hand in hand the whole day as we visited museums and his favorite locations, and he didn’t let go of me once. I’d glance every now and then at his long fingers interlaced with mine and smile to myself.

 _-Did you know this is where William Shakespeare set “Romeo and Juliet”?_ –He asked as we stepped into another tourist attraction of Verona. _–That’s, according to legend, Juliet’s balcony_. –He said pointing up at it.

* * *

The sun was setting while we enjoyed each other’s company in Juliet’s balcony. I could feel Michael’s eyes on me so I looked up at him but he took my left hand and stared at it.

 _-I keep forgetting to take it off._ –I said.

 _-In Shakespeare’s story, Romeo, for a brief moment and before the tragedy, conquered Juliet’s heart…_ -He spoke.

I gave him a condescending look.

_-I think I know the play by heart and you know why…_

Michael rolled his eyes.

One thing was for sure, everybody had a certain type of person they usually felt attracted to. Mine was European Men who could quote Shakespeare till the end of time.

 _-But what about Paris?_ –Michael asked.

 _-What about Paris?_ –I echoed with a smile.

 _-He was attracted to her, he courted her, and he was excited to marry her…_ -Michael said as he slid the ring off my finger. _–If Romeo didn’t exist, do you think Juliet would’ve fallen for Paris?_

My smile faded and my chest tightened as I understood his analogy. It broke my heart since i never realized how much I had hurt Michael when I left him. I was blinded by my love for Tom and this man had given me away for him to take because he wanted nothing but my happiness; yet here we stood.

_-Michael… I am not Juliet, you are not Paris, and…he… is certainly not Romeo._

Michael smiled and before I knew it he threw the engagement ring, looking like a professional baseball player and causing my jaw to almost hit the floor. God knows who’d find that ring in the streets of Verona.

 _-Why did you do that!?_ –I exclaimed.

_-You don’t need it anymore._

I opened my mouth to retort but he was right.

 _-Listen,_ -he said cupping my face in his hands. – _For a long time, I thought giving you a ring would make you mine. It was selfish and I was wrong bu-_

- _Michael…_ -I said trying to stop him but he kept going.

_-I know you don’t love me as much as I love you, and I know I’m not him-_

I pressed my lips against his to cease his rambling. I put my arms around his neck and ran my fingers through his hair, deepening the kiss. When I pulled away i looked straight into his blue eyes.

 _-I just want to take things slow this time and take the next step when you’re ready…_ -The stubborn man added.

_-Ready for what?_

_-To be mine._

I chuckled when I noticed the worried and nervous expression on his face. Michael didn’t wear his heart on his sleeve but this was the only exception. He wanted me to be his wife but he knew I wasn’t ready for another marriage and I wouldn’t be for a while. It had lost its meaning but it didn’t mean I couldn’t see myself with Michael for the rest of my life.

I didn’t need fate to show me a bigger sign after reuniting us like this. We belonged together, but we’d take it slow.

 _-I am_. –I said.

- _Mine._ –He echoed.

_-Yours._

Michael crashed his lips against mine and smiled into the kiss.

Most tourists came to this place to stick love notes on the wall, for proposals, or to make a wish for everlasting love. Michael and I didn’t need any of that. We came to Juliet’s balcony to get rid of an engagement ring instead, and to realize… _we were always meant to be._

* * *

##  **The End.**


End file.
